When you can't give patients any answers, you go in search yourself. That's the direction I headed in a few years ago after I went looking for information for patients undergoing cancer treatment. I found there really wasn't much available. After asking around, I was encouraged to write a definitive article which described the side effects of cancer drugs. This in turn led to an invitation from a local charity, BrushUpUk http://www.brushupuk.com/ to compile some leaflets for them.

Another big turning point was learning about The Swallows Head and Neck Cancer Charity at the BDA annual Conference in Manchester in May 2017 where I was a speaker. I went to hear a presentation by Andrew Baldwin, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Manchester who mentioned the charity. I was inspired to look into the support it gives to head and neck cancer patients and carers. I contacted the Chairman – and recovering cancer sufferer - Chris Curtis and we emailed. We finally managed to meet face to face at this year's BDA dental conference and dental show.

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Chris loved my BrushUpUk leaflets which were produced from my original article. In turn, I was inspired by his cracker challenge! You have to see how many dry biscuits you can eat in a minute – which is very difficult when you are short on saliva. It's a good way of conjuring empathy from people who have never experienced xerostomia. The world record, I am told, is 4!

Xerostomia is a big issue for cancer sufferers and carries with it a risk of dental decay. Sometimes I find it falls to me to diagnose xerostomia. I always let patients know that I check their teeth, gums and saliva flow. PHE's Delivering Better Oral Health (DBOH)2017 toolkit1 guides us with treatment options for these patients and prevention is always key.

I have referred a few patients over the years to their GPs for diabetes and Sjogrens Syndrome tests as we must take a holistic approach. They love the fact that we care. I let them know at each visit what has been going on. Many patients now book a session with me when they have been given a diagnosis of cancer. They know to make sure their mouths are very healthy before starting treatment.

I am very lucky as I have a very supportive team. All my colleagues are aware that I have a big drawer of product samples available. We give xerostomia patients a bag of products to go away with so they can find which works best for them. I think it's fair to say that as a result of the research I have undertaken, my article, my leaflets and my presentations, our practice is now able to give all patients undergoing cancer treatment effective support, recommendations and treatment. It's been a gratifying journey.